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CSS Text Shadow Generator
Build layered CSS text shadows with a live preview.
CSS Text Shadow Generator tool
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About This Tool
CSS text-shadow adds a drop shadow, glow, outline-like edge, or layered depth directly to text. This generator gives each shadow its own offset, blur, and color, previews the combined effect on custom text and colors, and produces one copy-ready declaration without uploading or storing anything.
How To Use It
- Choose a preset such as Soft, Glow, Neon, or Retro depth, or begin with the default shadow.
- Set the horizontal and vertical offsets, non-negative blur radius, and CSS color for each layer.
- Edit the preview text, font size, text color, and background color to test the effect in context.
- Add up to six layers when one shadow cannot create the desired glow, edge, or depth.
- Copy the generated text-shadow declaration into the rule for your heading, label, or other text element.
Examples
Subtle readable depth
Use a small positive X and Y offset, a modest blur, and a translucent dark color to separate a heading from a light background.
Centered glow
Set both offsets to zero and layer a tight bright shadow over a wider translucent shadow to create a glow around the glyphs.
Hard retro extrusion
Stack several zero-blur shadows with progressively larger offsets and related colors to simulate solid typographic depth.
Useful Notes
Text-shadow value order
Each shadow uses horizontal offset, vertical offset, optional blur radius, and color. Horizontal and vertical offsets can be negative, but the blur radius cannot. Commas separate multiple layers.
How multiple layers are painted
The first listed shadow is painted on top, followed by later shadows behind it. A tight first layer can keep an edge crisp while broader layers underneath create glow or depth.
Text shadow is not box shadow
Text-shadow follows the shapes of text glyphs and has no spread radius or inset mode. Box-shadow follows an element's box and supports both spread and inset shadows, so the properties are not interchangeable.
Color, contrast, and accessibility
A shadow may improve separation in one color combination and reduce legibility in another. Check the actual foreground and background contrast, avoid relying on glow as the only readability aid, and test at the intended font size.
Performance considerations
A few static text shadows are usually straightforward, but many large blurred layers—especially when animated—can add painting work. Use only the layers the design needs and test motion on representative devices.
FAQ
Can text-shadow use multiple shadows?
Yes. Put comma-separated shadow values in one declaration. This generator combines and previews up to six layers.
Can text-shadow have a spread radius or inset effect?
No. Unlike box-shadow, text-shadow has no spread radius and does not support the inset keyword.
Can offsets be negative?
Yes. Negative X values move a shadow left and negative Y values move it upward. Only the blur radius must remain non-negative.
Does text shadow guarantee readable text?
No. Readability still depends on the text and background colors, font, size, and effect strength. Test contrast and avoid using shadows to compensate for a weak foreground/background combination.